Guidance and precautions for the upgrade and data migration of Omada Controller/OC200

Apply for Omada Controller 2.4.x or above, OC200

Ⅰ.Guidance and precautions for Omada Controller upgrade/downgrade process

1. Upgrade process of Omada Controller

The Omada Controller can be directly upgraded from a lower version to a higher version. The previous configuration (public/private configuration), database information, EAP management information, and client authentication status are retained. Generally speaking, the upgrade of Omada Controller does not affect the normal using of the customers. However, if some features are greatly changed in the software version update, such as the update from Controller 2.4.8 to Controller 2.5.1, whose portal function has been greatly changed. It will result in the completely lost of portal configuration after the upgrade, and the portal function may not work properly after that. At present, only when the Controller is upgraded from a lower version to 2.5.x or above will cause the configuration missing of portal function, and affects the normal portal using of customer. These special cases will be reminded in the release note of the Omada Controller on the official website.

2.Downgrade process of Omada Controller

The Omada Controller cannot be downgraded directly from a higher version to a lower version. If you want to downgrade the Controller, you need to completely uninstall the original Controller first (choose to not retain the user data when uninstalling), and then install the lower version Controller. If the high version of the Controller is not completely uninstalled (choose to retain the user data during uninstallation), even if you can downgrade to a lower version of the Controller, the Controller will not start properly. Because the data file is not compatible with the lower version Controller.

Ⅱ.Guidance and precautions for OC200 upgrade/downgrade process

1. Upgrade process of OC200

Same as Omada Controller

2. Downgrade process of OC200

The OC200 can downgrade the firmware, but the configuration will be completely lost. (As above, because the OC200 has a built-in Omada Controller, it is necessary for OC200 itself to completely remove the configuration first to complete the downgrade.)

Ⅲ.Guidance and precautions for Omada Controller Configuration/Data Migration

1. Configuration/data migration between same version of Controller (below 3.0.2)

1.) If we only want to migrate the configuration on the Controller, we can first export the configuration file on the old controller and then import it into the new controller.

2.) If we want to migrate both configuration and database files (such as log, traffic information, Map, AP management status, client authentication status, etc.) on the controller at the same time, we can replace the data folder of Omada Controller. The specific operation is to back up the data folder under the old Controller installation path, such as C:\Program Files (x86)\TP-LINK\EAP Controller\data. Then import and replace the data folder of the newly installed Controller (you should delete the data folder first, then import the backup data folder), then the configuration and database file of the old Controller will be completely imported into the new Controller.

Note: The Data folder holds all the configuration and database files of the Controller, including public/private configuration, EAP management information, and client authentication status. The following is the method to re-adopt EAP after migrating Data:

• The new Controller locates in the same subnet as the EAP: The new Controller imported into the data folder will adopts these EAPs automatically. The previously authenticated clients also keep the authentication status.
• The new Controller and EAP locate in different subnet: If the IP address of the new Controller is the same as the previous IP address, the Controller will automatically adopt these EAPs. If the IP addresses has changed, it is recommended to use the Discover Utility to re-establish the Layer 3 management connection between Controller and EAP.

2. Configuration/data migration between same version of Controller (3.0.2 or above)

The backup function of the Controller 3.0.2 or above can not only export configuration information of APs, clients, and sites (both public/private configurations), but also export AP management status, authentication status, client connection status, alarms Log, map and other database information. The exported backup file is compressed in advance, so the file size is much small which does not occupy much memory, and we can choose to export data files within a certain period of time, which is optional for using. (Currently, the backup file does not contain the configuration information of Mesh and Cloud, the related information cannot be imported.) So for the data migration after Controller 3.0.2, we suggest customers restoring the backup file from Old Controller to the new Controller to implement data migration directly. And we can re-adopt the previous EAP as the above-mentioned method of importing the data folder. Of course, we can also do the configuration/database file migration by replacing the data folder of Omada Controller as above.

3. Configuration/data migration from a lower version Controller to a higher version Controller

1.) If customer only wants to migrate the configuration file on the Controller, we can first export the configuration file on the lower version Controller and then import it into the higher version Controller. However, if a higher version Controller has made major changes to certain functions, such as 2.5.1 Controller has greatly optimized the portal function, so the configuration of the lower version of the Controller is incompatible with the high version, which may result in the loss of this part of the configuration.

2.) If customer wants to migrate both configuration file and database files (such as log, traffic information, Map, AP management status, client authentication status, etc.) at the same time, we can choose to back up and replace the entire data folder. For Controller 3.0.2 or above, we can also migrate both configuration files/database files at the same time by importing backup files directly.

4. Configuration/data migration from a higher version Controller to a lower version Controller

Data migration from a higher version of the Controller to a lower version of the Controller is not possible. Because the high version of the Controller may add some new features or optimizations, whether the configuration or database of new Controller is not compatible with the lower version of the Controller.

Ⅳ. Recommended method for OC200 data/configuration migration

The OC200 is equipped with Omada Controller 3.0.2 or above by default. Because the Backup File of Omada Controller 3.0.2 or above can contain the main database and configuration information, we can do the data/configuration migration for OC200 by restoring the Backup File directly. Basically it will not affect the normal using of customers. (Since OC200 does not have data folder, we are not able to do the configuration/database file migration by replacing the data folder.)

The basic steps of OC200 data migration (Make sure the Omada Controller are 3.0.x or above)

• The data migration from Omada Controller (windows) to OC200: It is necessary to ensure that the version of Omada Controller (windows) is above 3.0.2 and the software version of Controller on OC200 is same or higher than Omada Controller (windows). Then you can directly backup the data/configuration file from Omada Controller (windows) and restore it into OC200 to complete the data migration.
• The data migration from OC200 to OC200: Same as above